


hiding a secret (it's all a sign)

by moon__goddess



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: .... sort of, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Professors, College AU, M/M, a series of unlikely coincidences, all mistakes are mine and mine alone, author attempts humor, baekhyun likes to meddle, blind dates, clueless friends, no beta we die like lone wolves, ocs are students all idols mentioned are faculty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-11-23 20:24:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20895593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moon__goddess/pseuds/moon__goddess
Summary: [taozi] 14:28really.baekhyun’s idiotic group chat about getting yixing and jongdae laid is a professional setting.or: a series of failed blind dates, for one obvious reason that is somehow not very obvious at all.Written forGive Yixing A Chance Fest Round 2 Prompt #1619





	hiding a secret (it's all a sign)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you to my prompter for submitting this hilarious prompt, i hope i did it justice~

“Okay, seriously, ge,” Zitao says, plunking himself down across from Yixing and glaring at him. “Why haven’t you gotten yourself a girlfriend yet?”

Yixing practically chokes on his sushi roll. “What are you talking about, Taozi?”

Zitao rolls his eyes. “You’ve been single the entire time I’ve known you, okay? And I know for a fact that you work way too much. You need to relax.”

Yixing just raises an eyebrow. “I care about my students, is that a crime?”

“You have no social life,” Zitao counters. “When was the last time you went out with us?”

“I got dinner with Jongdae the other day,” Yixing points out.

“He doesn’t count, he’s your best friend,” Zitao says dismissively. “I bet you two were the last people in the building so you just decided to eat together while working.”

Yixing doesn’t respond, just takes another bite of food. Zitao takes his silence to mean yes and screeches. “Ugh, I can’t believe this!”

“What can’t you believe?” comes Yifan’s voice. Yixing glances up to see his friend towering over the table, microwaved Tupperware container in hand.

“Apparently, that I have no social life, according to him,” he says, gesturing to Zitao and grinning. 

Yifan lowers himself into the chair next to him. “I mean, he’s not necessarily _ wrong_, Xing.” He shrugs as he opens his container and the smell of freshly reheated japchae wafts out. “But I get it.” 

“That’s only part of the problem,” Zitao snips, shooting Yixing a look. “When was the last time you got laid?”

Yixing tries to talk through his mouthful of food but his response sounds like “Les’ mmnh.”

“Okay, last month isn’t as bad as I thought,” Zitao says, tapping his chin. “I honestly thought you were going to say last year or something.”

Yixing swallows. “I said last n-”

“Still,” Zitao blithely continues, “whoever it was couldn’t have been that good, since you’re literally always stressed and you were definitely super tense last month too.”

Yixing sighs, picking up his coffee and taking a sip. “I don’t see how you butting into my sex life is going to make me less stressed.”

“I’m trying to _ help _ you, ge!” Zitao exclaims, affronted.

“Wait,” Yifan says slowly, putting down his chopsticks, “this is about your lack of relationships?”

Zitao shoots him an unimpressed glare. “It took you that long to figure out?”

Yifan shrugs.

“God, how are you even a professor,” Zitao mumbles. “Anyway.” He levels Yixing with a look. “You’re like, the most available bachelor on this campus. Just let me set you up with someone, okay? You need the break.”

“Zitao, I don’t want to be set up,” Yixing says, putting his coffee cup back down. “I’m perfectly fine.”

“I know this girl who works in financial aid,” Zitao says, completely ignoring him. “She’s pretty, has a degree in accounting, did some theater on the side for a while, I could definitely get you dinner with her.” He drums his fingers on the table. “Or if she’s not really your thing, there’s that cute new art history professor too - what language does she speak again? French? Italian? I can’t remember - and she seems really cool.”

“Please,” Yixing says, glaring at him, “no blind dates. None, Zitao.”

“Ge, I love you, but you wouldn’t know a good potential significant other if it sat on top of you.”

“Whatcha talking about over here?” The shrill voice of Byun Baekhyun makes all three of them look up.

Yifan groans around the mouthful of food he’d just shoved in.

“Help me,” Zitao says to him. “I’m trying to convince Yixing to let me set him up.”

Thin fingers skate across Yixing’s shoulder. “Hey.” Yixing smiles.

“Oh my god,” Baekhyun exclaims, “I’m doing the same thing for Jongdae!” He drops into the last seat at the table next to Zitao. “I’ll help you if you help me.”

“Guess you have no choice,” Yixing says, and he grins when Jongdae settles in his lap. 

“Since _ someone _ took the last chair, guess I have to sit here now,” he snarks. Yixing carefully laces his hands around Jongdae’s waist.

“I’m a good chair,” he says, pouting.

Jongdae shakes his head. “Sorry, Xing, but you’re not very comfy.” He wiggles around for a second, making Yixing dig his fingers into his skin. “Your thighs are too muscly.”

Yixing smirks.

“Okay, we get it, you’re platonic soulmates or whatever,” Baekhyun says, making Jongdae snort. “Down to serious business.”

“If you try to get me to go on another of your terrible blind dates, Baekhyun,” Jongdae says, leaning forward, “I will tell Sehun who actually destroyed his Louis Vuitton slides.”

Baekhyun goes pale. “You… you wouldn’t dare,” he sputters.

Jongdae cocks an eyebrow. “Watch me.”

“See, at least Yixing would never threaten me,” Zitao says smugly.

Yifan snorts into his food.

Yixing leans around Jongdae, smiling placidly at Zitao. “Wouldn’t I?” he says.

Zitao’s eyes widen, and Jongdae bursts out laughing.

~

_ get xingdae laid 2k19 _

_ baek created the chat _

_ baek added taozi, yifan, and minseok to the chat _

**[baek] 14:02**

okay so 

now that we have been sufficiently threatened

**[taozi] 14:04**

and it was scary ngl

didn’t know xing ge could be terrifying???

**[yifan] 14:05**

i did lol

**[taozi] 14:05**

thanks for ur help then idiot

**[baek] 14:06**

ANYWAY

who has ideas for them

like im seriously desperate here dae practically never leaves his office

**[taozi] 14:07**

neither does yixing

**[minseok] 14:08**

maybe if you two actually did your work

like yixing and jongdae do

you’d understand

and stop bugging them

**[baek] 14:10**

MINSEOK

HELP US

YOU KNOW HOW LONG ITS BEEN SINCE EITHER OF THEM GOT ANY ACTION

**[minseok] 14:10**

no

i only came in here to tell yifan to come get his husband

he’s bothering me

**[baek] 14:11**

boo :(

**[yifan] 14:11**

coming

**[minseok] 14:12**

thanks

_ minseok left the chat _

**[baek] 14:12**

RUDE

**[taozi] 14:14**

god minseok ge is iconic

how do i be him when i grow up

**[yifan] 14:18**

you are a grown man zitao

**[taozi] 14:19**

excuse you

im baby

**[baek] 14:19**

thats not what u said last night~

**[taozi] 14:20**

disgusting

i would never

**[baek] 14:20**

honestly im insulted????

**[taozi] 14:21**

good you should be

**[yifan] 14:23**

please stop for all of our sanity

and also because jun agreed to help

and i don’t need you embarrassing yourselves in front of my husband

**[baek] 14:24**

got news for ya chief

i do that on the daily

**[yifan] 14:24**

… good for you?

anyway

_ yifan added myeon to the chat _

**[myeon] 14:25**

I heard we were trying to get Professor Zhang and the youngest Professor Kim to stop being recluses

**[baek] 14:25**

u heard right

**[myeon] 14:26**

Good

I’m in

And I have an idea for Professor Zhang already~

**[yifan] 14:27**

babe

xing was best man at our wedding

you’ve known him almost as long as you’ve known me

you can call him yixing

**[myeon] 14:28**

We’re in a professional setting!

**[taozi] 14:28**

really.

baekhyun’s idiotic group chat about getting yixing and jongdae laid is a professional setting.

**[myeon] 14:29**

Well, we’re all coworkers, so… sort of?

**[baek] 14:30**

when will taozi stop insulting me and my great ideas

also lol jun its fine we’re just buds in here

**[myeon] 14:30**

That’s Junmyeon hyung to you

It should be Junmyeon ssi but i’m feeling generous

**[baek] 14:31**

¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**[yifan] 14:31**

babe your dom side is showing

**[myeon] 14:32**

Oops :8

**[baek] 14:32**

GROSS

AFJKASLKJFHLSKD

A U G H

WHY

JSHAFJKKLASLKFJLSKAFHSDKAFGSHAKLFJSKLDHFJKSLDHFSHFJKLSA

**[taozi] 14:32**

JKAKHFJKASHFJ;LSFJ;LSAJF;KLSAJDFKL

I WIN THE FUCKING BET

SUCK MY DICK LU HAN

THIS IS SCREENSHOTTED FOR EVIDENCE

GOD BLESS IM SO HAPPY I WAS RIGHT

**[yifan] 14:34**

the fuck

what were you and the fool betting on

**[taozi] 14:34**

who’s the d/s in your relationship

we all know you’re both switches so there was no need for top/bottom betting

**[baek] 14:35**

PLEASE STOP

I CANT HANDLE THIS

AJFHJKALSFHJKLSHFJKLSAFJKLSDHF

**[yifan] 14:35**

jesus christ

**[myeon] 14:35**

Are you done scarring Baekhyun yet?

**[taozi] 14:36**

technically you started the scarring

but i’m done~

because i won the bet~

**[yifan] 14:37**

but did you really

**[taozi] 14:37**

the fuck does that mean

yifan

wu yifan

answer me

**[myeon] 14:39**

^^

Anyway, do you think Professor Jung would be cute for Yixing?

**[baek] 14:40**

oh thank god

wait which one

**[myeon] 14:40**

There’s more than one?

**[baek] 14:41**

how do you know literally no one

vocal prof jung, acting prof jung, composition prof jung

plus i think theres a jung in photography and in history

**[myeon] 14:43**

Oh I didn’t realize!

Jung Taekwoon, he teaches voice and I think some composition?

Definitely music department

**[taozi] 14:43**

HE????????????????????????

YOUR PROFESSOR JUNG IS MALE???????????

**[myeon] 14:43**

Yes?

**[taozi] 14:44**

WHAT

**[baek] 14:44**

wait

is…

is yixing gay???

**[yifan] 14:45**

nah, he’s bi

**[myeon] 14:45**

He’s bi

**[taozi] 14:46**

W

H

A

T

**[baek] 14:46**

HOLY SHIT

THIS JUST OPENED UP SO MANY MORE POSSIBILITIES FOR HIM

Y E S

i mean i just gotta make sure that i don’t get guys for xing and guys for dae confused

**[taozi] 14:48**

wait what the fuck

jongdae too???

**[yifan] 14:49**

no straight man has an ass like that zitao

just look at junmyeon~

**[taozi] 14:49**

GROSS NO

omg i cant believe i didn’t realize!!!!

**[yifan] 14:50**

who’s the idiot now huh

~

A week and a half later, Yifan walks into Yixing’s office, more than a little ticked off. “Would you care to explain,” he starts, leaning over his friend’s desk, “why Qian called me in tears last night, cursing every fibre of both my and your existence?”

“Hmm?” Yixing glances up from his computer screen, where Yifan can see his email inbox open. “She did what?”

“Called me,” he repeats. “Crying and swearing.”

Yixing’s eyes widen. “I have no idea why she would do that, she seemed perfectly nice at dinner.” His face hardens slightly. “The dinner that you and Zitao tricked us into, I might add.”

Yifan sighs. “Were you an asshole?” he asks, rubbing his face resignedly.

“How dare you assume that about me,” Yixing responds, sarcastic as ever, as he leans back in his chair. “I could never be an asshole, it’s not in my personality.”

“What’s not in your personality, ge?” Jongdae’s inquiry makes Yifan jump, and he whips around only for Jongdae to smile warmly at him, his head peering into the office.

“Being an asshole,” Yixing answers, and when Yifan looks back at him he’s smiling too. “I’m not you.”

“Rude,” Jongdae whines. “I take offense to that.” He steps all the way inside, folding his hands behind his back. “Do you have a second to go over the stuff for the workshop next week?”

Yifan rolls his eyes, because of course it’s actual work that’s going to interrupt this. “I will,” Yixing says, before he meets Yifan’s eyes. “Just spit it out, Fanfan.”

Yifan grimaces at the nickname before he blows out a breath. “Qian is a sweetheart,” he starts. “I just… I don’t understand why you can’t, I don’t know, try for once.”

“I don’t need to, nor do I want to,” Yixing says, very matter-of-factly. “And besides, I wouldn’t want to jump into a relationship with someone who still carries a torch for someone rather… _ unavailable_.” He smirks and Yifan feels his face go red as he hears Jongdae make a weird coughing sound behind him.

“Wha… but… sh-she… that was _ three years ago_,” he sputters, watching helplessly as Yixing’s smirk gets bigger.

“And?” he says, standing from his chair and stretching his arms over his head. “Feelings don’t magically disappear, as much as you might want them to.” He winks, and Yifan can’t help but gape at him as he walks around his desk to where Jongdae is standing and watching them. “Your office, I’m assuming?”

Jongdae grins, slinging an arm around Yixing’s shoulders. “After you,” he says, and Yifan follows them out, wondering what in the hell had just happened.

~

“You’re so lucky you’re a composition major, Haerin,” Jiah sighs. “You get to see Professor Jung all the time.” Her eyes follow a tall, thin man as he walks up to the coffee stand in the lobby of the student center.

Haerin rolls her eyes. “Honestly, he’s a giant dork,” she says. “I don’t understand why you have such a thing for him.”

“Because he’s goddamn gorgeous,” Jiah responds, watching as the man in question pays for whatever he’s ordered and takes a seat at one of the tiny tables nearby. 

Haerin snorts. “You wouldn’t say that if you had class with him,” she fires back. “He’s so tough.”

When Jiah doesn’t answer, just sighs dreamily again, Haerin whacks her arm. “Come on, you lovestruck fool,” she says, “we need to focus.”

“You’re right, you’re right,” Jiah says, shifting in their booth as she glances down at her laptop. “This presentation isn’t going to write itself.”

She manages to stay focused on her analysis of popular song lyrics for another two minutes, adding another three bullet points into the presentation, but then movement from the coffee stand catches her eye. 

“Haerin, look,” she whispers, nudging her friend with her foot. “Isn’t that one of Sooyeon’s dance professors? Getting coffee?”

Haerin blinks and glances over at the stand. “Oh, God,” she breathes, her face going pink. “It… i-i-i-it’s Professor Zhang.”

“Wait, really?” Jiah’s eyes get wider. “The one who taught that class you and Sooyeon took for fun last semester?”

Haerin nods, her focus now entirely on the man leaning against the counter, scrolling idly through his phone. “He’s so _hard_,” she says, her voice wistful. “And so, so good.”

“Girl.” Jiah stares at her best friend. “Please think about what you just said.”

Haerin’s face gets even pinker. “Well, I didn’t mean it like that,” she starts, “but since you said that…” She grins. “Now I do.”

“Oh my god!” Jiah throws a pencil at her, giggling up a storm. “And you were making fun of me for staring at Professor Jung!”

“Shut up,” Haerin moans, trying to suppress her own laughter. “It’s not the same thing.”

“Yes it is,” Jiah giggles, wiggling her eyebrows. “Yes it is.” She grins, resting her chin in her hands. “What are the odds that they’re both here?” she asks, looking back over at the coffee stand.

She gasps at what she sees there.

“Haerin… please tell me I’m not hallucinating. They’re actually talking to each other and I’m not in a fever dream.”

“You’re not,” Haerin says slowly, also trying to process what’s actually happening in front of her. “Unless we accidentally took some drugs and are having the same hallucination.”

“Doubtful,” Jiah says, not taking her eyes off the two professors sitting together, chatting and laughing every little while. “I think we need to call Sooyeon.”

“Yes, oh my god, call her.” Haebin shuts her textbook with a thud. “She’s gonna regret being late so much.”

Jiah dials as fast as she can with one hand, shoving her notebooks and planner back into her bag. “We need to get a better vantage point,” she says. “We can’t hear anything.”

“Hear what?” comes Sooyeon’s voice through the phone. “Also, sorrysorrysorry, I had to talk to Kijoo after class and oh my god she would not shut up, I’m literally speed walking to you right now.”

“Sprint, bitch,” Haerin says, leaning over the table. “We’re witnessing history.”

“What’s happening?!”

“Jung is here,” Jiah explains, motioning with her head at a table much closer to the coffee stand that had just been vacated. “Haerin’s hot professor. And he’s getting coffee with Professor Zhang.”

Sooyeon gasps. “WHAT???” she yells. “Hot-as-hell Professor Zhang? Sexy Professor Zhang from hip hop last year?”

“Mhm.” Haerin nods back, and the two of them scoop up their things and hurry to the table, claiming it before anyone else sneaks in and takes it.

“Oh my fucking god, I’m running there right now,” Sooyeon says, already sounding out of breath. “And I fucking hate running.”

“Hurry,” Jiah hisses. “I’m hanging up so they don’t hear you scream, we’re super close to them now.”

“Oh fuck, I’m hurrying, I’m hurrying!”

Jiah hits end call and drops her phone on the table. “What now?” she whispers. 

Haerin inches closer to the edge of her seat. “Pretend to work but watch them,” she responds, carefully taking her laptop back out of her bag. “I think they’re just talking now.”

Jiah flips through her textbook, not really paying attention to what chapter she lands on as she focuses all of her energy on hearing what Jung and Zhang are talking about, maybe fifteen feet from them.

“... hear one of your compositions,” Jung says, and Jiah almost swoons right off her chair. 

“Oh my god, his voice,” she mumbles, twisting her fingers together. “How do I listen to him talk forever.” 

“Yah.” Haerin waves a hand in front of her face. “You good?”

“How are you not dying with me,” she whispers. “Zhang is right there too.”

“You forget I had class with him,” Haerin whispers back. “I had to figure out how to not die twice a week for a whole semester.”

Zhang stretches, his button down shirt pulling across his broad shoulders, and Haerin chokes on air.

“You were saying?” Jiah says, smirking. “I’ll give you that, he’s suuuuper hot.”

“Fuck off,” Haerin hisses, and they both quiet, trying to catch more snippets of conversation. 

“... lyrics have a lot of meaning, and I think…” 

Haerin watches as Zhang explains something, his hands moving elegantly through the air as he talks, and she can’t help but sigh. “He’s just _ so _ beautiful,” she mutters. “Whoever locks him down is gonna be so. Damn. Lucky.”

Jung laughs at something Zhang says, his head dipping forward to hide his smile, and Jiah gasps. “Oh my god, Haerin,” she says, reaching across the table to repeatedly whack her best friend’s arm. “Haerin, I think they’re on a date.”

Haerin inhales, glancing back at the two professors. “You think so?”

Jiah nods frantically. “Meeting for coffee, talking about their interests, laughing at each other’s jokes… all the signs are there.”

“Hihihihi,” Sooyeon pants, appearing behind their table, her hair windblown. “I’m here, I’m here, what did I miss.”

“They’re on a _ date_,” Jiah whispers. “Our hot professors are on a date!”

“If they’re on a date,” Sooyeon says, after taking a moment to catch her breath, “why is Zhang texting like a maniac under the table?”

“He’s doing what?” Haerin whips her head back around to see and accidentally makes eye contact with the cute guy sitting at the table behind them. He quirks a brow before readjusting his round glasses on his nose and looking back down at his laptop, making her cheeks instantly warm. She refocuses and sees Zhang slide his phone into his pocket before he nods and responds to whatever Jung had just said. “Oh my god, you’re right, he WAS texting!”

Sooyeon smiles, tilting her head to the side to try and see better. “Told you so,” she says smugly. 

Jiah rolls her eyes. “Whatever, just pay attention.” 

The three of them keep watching, but Jung and Zhang have stopped talking, each sipping on their coffee. Zhang glances down at his phone and then looks back at Jung, smiling slightly, showing his dimples. Jung leans forward and says something, but his voice is so soft and the student center so loud that they can’t hear him.

Jiah groans quietly. “Ugh, I just want to know what’s happening!”

Sooyeon pouts, leaning her elbows on their table. “It’s too loud in here,” she complains. “Can everyone just like, leave or something?”

She says the last part very loudly, which causes quite a number of people at the tables around them to shoot them dirty looks. Haerin slumps, covering her face with her hands. “I hate you,” she mumbles through her fingers.

Jiah kicks her under the table. “Shut up, Sooyeon,” she hisses. “You’re drawing attention to us.”

Sooyeon huffs. “I don’t understand,” she whines. “What’s the point of spying if we can’t even hear anything?”

“The point,” Haerin says, glaring at her, “is to not get caught!”

“I need in-for-ma-tion,” Sooyeon responds, crossing her arms. “And I’m not getting any if I can’t hear!”

“You aren’t getting any anyway,” Jiah mutters, which makes Sooyeon gasp.

“Rude,” she says, hitting Jiah’s arm, but the smile that’s threatening to break out on her face undermines her reprimand.

“I can’t believe you’re making sex jokes at a time like this,” Haerin says, rolling her eyes. 

“Please,” Jiah responds, smirking at her, “I’m always making sex jokes.”

Sooyeon shakes her head, lips pressed together to hide her smile. “You two are awful,” she says, glancing back at the two professors, and then freezing, her eyes widening even more. “Guys.” She reaches out blindly to repeatedly hit Jiah’s arm. “Guys, guys, oh my god.”

“What?” Haerin twists to steal a look at the table and then she freezes too. “Oh my god. Oh. My. Fucking. God.”

“Who IS that?” Jiah breathes. 

“Professor Cha,” Sooyeon whispers, her mouth starting to fall open. “Oh my god.”

Jiah blinks a few times, shaking herself from her trance. “And he’s with Professor Kim! This is completely insane.”

The three of them watch as Cha waves at Zhang, walking over with Kim trailing behind him. Zhang grins, his dimple appearing yet again, and Haerin sighs as he introduces Jung to the two others.

“How is he real,” she mumbles. 

“Shhhhh!” Sooyeon frantically waves her hand, trying to hear what Kim is saying, which is making Zhang stand up from the table.

“...I do have a meeting to get to,” Zhang says, bumping Kim with his shoulder. “Jongdae and I are chairing the songwriting workshop next month.”

“Jongdae!” Jiah mouths at Haerin, who wiggles her eyebrows.

“T-that’s okay,” Jung says quietly, a flush slowly stealing up his neck. “I also have to, uh, get to class.”

“I thought your class was at 2:30?” Zhang asks, tilting his head. 

Jung flushes again, and Kim elbows Zhang as Cha raises his eyebrows. “What do you teach, Taekwoon?”

“Taekwoon!!!” Haerin kicks Jiah. “What is HAPPENING?” she whispers.

“L-lyric writing and composition,” Jung mutters, making Cha lean forward.

“That’s interesting,” he says. “I teach modern and contemporary dance.”

“And he’s _ phenomenal_,” Sooyeon says, practically falling out of her side of the booth. “Like, I’ve never seen anyone move like he does.”

“Hakyeon’s amazing,” Zhang says as he inches another step closer to Kim. “Actually, Taek, I think your music matches his style exactly.”

Sooyeon emits a wordless squeak.

“Shut up!” Jiah hisses.

Kim smiles. “We’ve really got to go,” he says, and the three girls all simultaneously melt at how smooth his voice is. “See you two later.”

Zhang winks at Jung, whose face pales, and then he follows Kim out of the coffee shop. 

“Quick, pretend to be working, they’re walking this way!” Sooyeon whisper-shouts, and they scramble to look at their textbooks, Haerin frantically scribbling something in a notebook, Jiah flipping to a random chapter and starting to skim.

Kim and Zhang walk by them without any trouble, and Haerin exhales, glancing up from her fake notes to see Zhang laugh at something Kim had just said. Kim grins back at him, and they only stop looking at each other when Zhang throws an arm around Kim’s shoulders. 

Her eyes widen, but the two professors continue walking out of the student center, Kim ducking out from Zhang’s arm eventually, still smiling.

~

Kyungsoo is minding his own business, ignoring his phone, which is constantly vibrating with more messages from Baekhyun, and grading some exams (well, he's supposed to be grading exams, but he's actually looking up new recipes to try), when he hears a shriek come from one of his colleague's offices. 

“Heeyeon?” he asks, looking up from his computer. When there’s no response, he sighs, pushing his chair back, and walks across the suite to her office. Her door is slightly ajar, so he sticks his head inside to see Heeyeon staring at her phone, which has clearly just been flung on her desk.

“You okay?”

She startles, glancing up, and her shoulders relax infinitesimally when she sees Kyungsoo. “Oh, hey, Soo,” she says. “I am. Slightly freaking out.”

“Why?” He steps further into her office. “Did your date go well last night?”

Heeyeon snorts. “No, it was kind of a disaster, but that’s why I’m freaking out.” She glances at her phone again. “The hot bartender texted me.”

Kyungsoo raises his eyebrows. “Why?”

“Why’d she text me or why was the date a disaster?” Heeyeon leans back in her chair, glaring at him.

He winces. He’d been the one to suggest Heeyeon to Baekhyun for a blind date with another of their colleagues in the performance department. “Both, I guess?” he says after a moment.

Heeyeon glances at her phone again before she flips it over and leans forward, placing her elbows on her desk. “Good, because they’re the same reason.”

Kyungsoo slowly blinks at her. “What?”

Heeyeon huffs a short laugh. “I gave the hot bartender my number _ because _ the date was a disaster. And also because part of the reason it was a disaster was I kept staring at her the whole time.”

“Oh, Heeyeon.” Kyungsoo shakes his head at her. “When will you stop being a useless gay.”

“You know the answer is never,” she says. “But anyway. The guy I met for dinner, Jongdae, was just… boring. And he kept looking at his phone the whole time, like he wasn’t really interested in being there.” She shrugs. “Plus he wasn’t really my type. But the bartender……” She trails off, sighing a little.

“Hey.” Kyungsoo waves his hand in front of her face. “Earth to Heeyeon.”

“Oh, sorry.” She blinks rapidly. “She was _ so _ hot. Like… wow. I could _ not _ stop staring.”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “Of course you couldn’t.” 

“Anyway.” Heeyeon glares at him again. “She caught me looking a couple times, it was super awkward, but also fine, because Jongdae also saw me looking at her and when we were done eating he paid because he felt bad for not paying attention to me and told me to get the bartender’s number instead of his.” Her phone vibrates and she inhales sharply. “So I did, but she texted me and now I don’t know what to say oh my god.”

Kyungsoo blows out a breath. “Okay, well, you’re fine. Stop being a panicked gay and text her back.”

He turns around and walks out of Heeyeon’s office, ignoring her even when she yells “Do Kyungsoo, I hate you” at his back.

He sits back down in his office, having closed the door behind him, and sighs, steeling himself to text Baekhyun the update.

~

“Yah, Kim Jongin!” is the first thing Jongin hears when he walks out of the studio after teaching his intermediate ballet class. He glances around and sees Taewoo leaning against the wall, waiting for him, his face impossible to read.

“Taem, hide me,” he says, ducking behind his boyfriend, who’d followed him out of the studio.

“What did you do?” Taemin asks, twisting to keep Jongin in front of him.

“Nothing,” Jongin says, shifting his gaze to the floor.

“Sure seems like you did something,” Taemin says, raising his eyebrows.

“I can see you, Jongin,” Taewoo calls, his arms crossed. Jongin slumps.

“Dammit,” he mumbles. “Hi, Taewoo hyung.” He slowly heads across the hall to where Taewoo is standing. “What’s up?”

Taewoo stares at him in silence for a second, making his anxiety spike, before he grins. “I can’t believe you,” he says, starting to laugh, bumping Jongin’s shoulder with his own. “You tried to set me up with Yixing?”

Jongin can hear Taemin’s gasp from across the hall. “Hey,” he whines, “it wasn’t my idea! Zitao was asking around about other faculty who were single, I had no idea it was for a blind date with Yixing hyung until _ after _ I’d asked you!” He whirls around. “Lee Taemin, stop laughing!”

Taewoo huffs a laugh himself. “I must look pretty desperate, if you’re trying to get me a date,” he says, ruffling Jongin’s hair. 

“It - no, it wasn’t - I swear,” Jongin says frantically, “it’s not that! Taotao made it seem like his friend - which was Xing hyung - was super sad and lonely and I figured that you might as well try since you’re single too, I don’t think you’re desperate!”

“Nini, you’re making it worse,” Taemin calls, giggling up a storm.

Taewoo shakes his head, still smiling. “It’s fine, Jonginnie. Don’t worry about it.”

Jongin breathes a sigh of relief until another thought crosses his mind. “Did… did it not go well, then? If you’re, um, asking me about it?”

That makes Taewoo laugh. “Please, Jonginnie,” he says, swinging his arm across Jongin’s shoulders, “the only way that date could have gone worse is if he’d stood me up.” He pauses as they walk back over to Taemin. “Actually, that would have been better if he had, never mind.”

“What happened?” Taemin asks, eyes wide. “Yixing hyung is so nice!”

Taewoo snorts. “Yes, he’s nice. Except when he gets tricked into a blind date by his friends and spends about twenty minutes cursing them out over the phone in front of said blind date.”

“What?” Jongin gasps. That image is so incongruous with the Yixing he knows, the one who works harder than any other faculty member, the one who tirelessly puts in long hours just to make sure his students succeed, the one who’s always ready with a smile whenever he sees him. 

“Yeah.” Taewoo shrugs. “He did apologize after, repeatedly and profusely, but then he basically dropped some money on the table and left.” 

“Okay, the apology sounds like him,” Jongin says, “but not the cursing - or the leaving.” 

“It was very strange,” Taewoo agrees. “He did pay for my entire meal, though.”

Right as Taemin opens his mouth to say something, Taewoo’s phone pings. He glances down at it and his mouth drops open. “It’s Yixing,” he says, sounding slightly shocked.

“Open it!” Taemin exclaims, elbowing Jongin in the ribs. 

“Ouch.” Jongin glares at his boyfriend for a second before he inches closer to Taewoo to try and read the text.

Taewoo reads the message and then locks his phone before Jongin can see what it says. “What did he say, hyung?” he asks, giving him his patented puppy eyes.

Taewoo smiles. “He said he felt really bad about last night and he’d like to make it up to me by asking me to co-choreograph a number for the spring showcase.”

“Hyung, that’s awesome!” Jongin grins. “You’ve never choreographed for the spring show before!”

“I know,” Taewoo says, his smile getting bigger by the minute. “Hey, will you two be in the number? Since it’s kind of thanks to you?”

“Uh, yes, of course,” Taemin says, smiling at them. “You better put Nini in the back, though, since he thought you were desperate enough to need a blind date.”

“Yah!” Jongin reaches out to whack him, and Taemin dodges his hand, starting to giggle again. “Lee Taemin!”

He chases his boyfriend down the hall, leaving Taewoo laughing behind them, all thoughts of his failed date with Yixing wiped away.

~

Minchan grimaces as he reads over his notes from lecture. “I have no idea what any of this means,” he complains. “I’m going to fail this exam so hard.”

“Shut up,” Hyunseok says without looking up from his textbook. “You literally always pass.”

“I do not,” Minchan whines. “Remember last year, in Cell Biology?”

“That was your own fault,” chimes in Sejin, glasses sliding down his nose as he continues typing madly on his laptop. “You chose to take a class normally reserved for actual science majors.”

“I thought I was going to be a science major!” Minchan slumps forward, resting his head on his notebook. “And then I did so bad, and realized labs were boring as hell, and now I’m here, slogging through a lit major.”

“Didn’t you get a B- in that class?” Hyunseok says absentmindedly, now scanning his own lecture notes.

“Maybe,” Minchan mumbles. “But I literally failed the final exam, please remember that.”

“At least you finally picked a minor, right?” Sejin asks, shoving his glasses back up his face. 

“Yeah, vocal performance.” Minchan grins. “It’s really fun.”

“Oh, is that why Jinhyuk is always complaining about you singing in the shower?” Hyunseok asks.

“That bastard,” Minchan groans. “Can’t believe he complains about me.”

“To be fair,” Sejin adds, “you are really loud.”

“Attacked by my own best friends,” Minchan responds, leaning back in his chair and clutching his chest. “The betrayal.”

“Oh my god, stop being so dramatic,” Hyunseok says, finally looking up from his notes. “You’re loud. You’re smart. End of story.” He makes to switch textbooks when the bell over the cafe door jingles, announcing new customers, and he pauses as his gaze lands on the two men stepping inside.

“Hey, guys?” he says, keeping his voice low. “Have you ever seen professors outside the university?”

“No, why?” Minchan whips his head around to see who had just walked in. “Oh, _ shit_.” He immediately props his music theory textbook up on the table and ducks behind it.

Sejin rolls his eyes. “Why,” he says, voice flat.

“That’s Professor Lee,” Minchan says, voice muffled. “The tall one. I skipped class today, told him I was sick, can’t let him see me.”

“Wait, _ that’s _ Professor Lee?” Hyunseok whispers. “He’s with Professor Kim! My Professor Kim!”

That revelation causes Sejin to sit up straight. “The Professor Kim who teaches lyric writing? The one you never shut up about?” he asks, carefully glancing over at the register. “Oh, damn.” His eyes widen behind his glasses. “They’re both… wow, really attractive.”

“Who’s a sad little math major now?” Minchan says smugly as he peers over the top of his textbook. “We get all the hot professors.”

“Excuse you,” Sejin fires back, “we have Professor Lim AND Professor Hwang. Plus, aren’t you forgetting I have an acting minor too?”

“True, you have Do and one of the other Kims,” Hyunseok says. “What are Lee and my Kim doing here, though?”

“You have to stop calling him ‘your’ Kim,” Sejin says, crossing his arms. “That’s so weird.”

“There’s like five million Professor Kims at this school,” Hyunseok complains, “how else would I know which one I was talking about?”

“Mm, fair,” Minchan says, still hiding behind his book. “Anyway, didn’t Jisoo say that a bunch of profs live around here?” He jerks his head towards where Kim and Lee are now standing, in front of the register as they look over the menu. “Not surprised we’re seeing them, but surprised that it’s _ them_.”

“Right.” Hyunseok nods in agreement. “To be honest, I didn’t know Kim had friends outside the music department.”

“Lee _ is _ in the music department,” Minchan says. “I have vocal practice with him.”

“Really?” Sejin pushes his glasses up his nose again. “I thought he only taught those acting in theater seminars.” He leans forward. “Heard he used to be a big shot in the musical scene until he got caught in a dating scandal with an actor.”

“Where do you hear these things?” Hyunseok glances nervously at the two professors, who are currently ordering. “Like seriously, who tells you this stuff.”

“I have my sources.” Sejin crosses his arms and leans even further in. “I also heard that the actor was someone famous. Like, _ really _ famous.”

Minchan’s eyes widen behind his textbook. “Did you hear who?”

Sejin shakes his head no. “Anyway.” He pulls the sleeves of his sweater down over his wrists. “I need to finish this problem set.”

Hyunseok rolls his eyes. “Are you kidding right now?” He quickly looks around before lowering his voice. “We should find out what they’re doing here.”

“Do you want me to get _ murdered_?” Minchan hisses, whacking his arm with a pen. “I literally skipped Lee’s class _ today_, and now you want to try and eavesdrop on him?”

“Again, that is literally your own fault,” Hyunseok responds. “But yes. Yes I do.”

“I hate you, Jeon Hyunseok,” Minchan whines. 

“Seconded,” Sejin says without looking up from his calculator.

“Shut up and listen,” Hyunseok whispers, kicking both of them under the table and ignoring their subsequent winces of pain. “They’re sitting down.”

Kim and Lee sit down at a small table not far from where the three of them are sitting, but the two professors are too engrossed in their conversation to notice their students. Hyunseok carefully inches his chair to the side, trying to catch whatever Kim is currently saying, when Lee bursts out laughing.

“Since when have you been funny, Jongdae-yah,” he says, grinning, and Minchan’s eyes practically bug out of his head.

“Holy _ shit_,” he whispers. “Lee calls Kim ‘Jongdae-yah’?????”

“Shut up, Jaehwan,” Kim says, grinning back at Lee.

The scratching of Sejin’s pencil stops.

“I can’t believe they did that!” Lee adds. “Makes me wish I’d been there.”

Kim shakes his head, his smile soft. “It was a little awkward,” he says. “I was glad to escape.”

Minchan kicks Hyunseok. “What are they talking about?” he mutters.

Hyunseok shrugs.

“I think Junmyeon-hyung was trying to set them up, the poor thing,” Kim continues. “He really has no idea about people.”

“God, I know,” Lee says, smirking a little. “How long did it take him to realize Yifan was into him?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Kim responds, and they both laugh.

Sejin drops his pencil, his neck and ears more than a little pink. Minchan wiggles his eyebrows at him when he glances up, making him flush even more. Hyunseok covers his snort with a very fake cough.

“Anyway, I’ve been meaning to ask,” Kim says, leaning a little closer to Lee and lowering his voice just enough that they can’t make out what he’s saying. Hyunseok watches as Lee’s smile turns a little softer, almost like he’s… embarrassed or something, and the tips of his ears turn pink.

“Guys,” he says, hitting Sejin’s arm. “Guys, are you seeing this?”

“Seeing what?” The only part of Minchan visible over his textbook is his hair. “Lee looked this way, I swear, so I’m hiding.”

Sejin quickly looks back at the two professors and then at Hyunseok. “No,” he says quietly. “You don’t think…”

Hyunseok nods. “I do think.”

“Think what?” MInchan’s head pops up and he glances between them. “What?”

“They’re on a date,” Sejin whispers.

Minchan gasps. Loudly. Loudly enough that the two professors look around confusedly. Hyunseok immediately starts coughing, trying to mask the sound, and Sejin shoves Minchan back behind his textbook, scattering his index cards across the table.

Kim and Lee return their attention to each other, and Hyunseok lets his coughs slow, breathing a sigh of relief. 

“You IDIOT!” Sejin hisses, smacking Minchan with a notebook. “We almost got caught, and it was entirely YOUR fault!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Minchan cowers as Sejin hits him again. “Stop hitting me!”

Hyunseok crosses his arms and sinks down in his chair, steadfastly ignoring them as he tries to hear what the professors are talking about now.

Kim is chuckling, his lips stretched into his signature curly smile, the one that makes most of his students sigh wistfully halfway through class. “That’s good to know,” he says, leaning back in his chair. “I’m assuming it’s still not public?”

Lee shakes his head. “No, everyone thinks I’m as alone as you.”

Kim snorts, and Hyunseok can’t believe his ears.

“Guys,” he says slowly, still trying to hear what Kim is now talking about (something about nosy friends and personal lives), “if they’re on a date, why are they both texting?”

“What?” Minchan squeaks, sticking his head above his textbook wall once more.

Sejin whips around to see and accidentally makes eye contact with a familiar-looking, really pretty girl sitting a couple of tables away. Her cheeks flush pink and she immediately looks back down at her notes. He blinks and turns back, suddenly getting a rush of deja vu. 

His eyes catch on Lee’s phone as he finishes typing something and then holds it up to Kim’s face. “See?” Lee is saying, practically vibrating with excitement. 

“Damn,” Minchan says, looking dejected. “I really thought they might be a thing.” He taps his chin, eyes focused on the two professors. “They’d make a cute couple, too.”

Hyunseok shrugs, still watching as Kim laughs and shows Lee something on his own phone.

“I mean,” Sejin says, sounding a little unsure, “you can text on a date. It’s not unheard of.” He adjusts his glasses. “They still look pretty cozy.” 

“True,” Hyunseok says, conceding the point. “Maybe they were just showing each other memes or something.”

“You think our professors know about _ memes_?" Minchan asks incredulously. “I had to show Professor Bae how to switch to _ projector mode _ the other day!”

“Bae’s just technologically challenged,” Sejin says. “Most of them do okay.”

“Are you sure?” Minchan glances over at Kim and Lee, who are now leaning slightly closer to each other, talking in hushed tones. “I’m actually surprised Kim owns a smartphone, from what I’ve heard about him, he doesn’t even know how to flip the camera.”

“Where’d you hear that?” Hyunseok asks. “He does fine in class when he needs to use the computer.”

“I heard Professor Byun complaining about him and his terrible technology skills to Lim and Park the other day,” Minchan says. “It was actually kind of funny.”

“Not surprised you heard Byun,” Sejin comments, leaning back in his chair. “He’s so loud.”

“He’s not that bad,” Minchan responds, giving him a dirty look. “He’s just very excitable.”

“Whatever.” Sejin rolls his eyes. “You don’t have to defend him, we all know about your hero-worship-crush thing.”

Minchan’s cheeks go red. “I don’t have that!”

“Sure you don’t.” Hyunseok raises a brow. “Just like how Sejin isn’t currently in full bisexual panic over Kim.”

“What?!” Sejin drops his pencil again. “I’m - I’m not!”

His face is the same color as the remnants of Minchan’s strawberry smoothie. 

“Suuuuuuure,” Hyunseok drawls. He looks back at the door to the cafe when it jingles, signaling new customers, and then almost falls out of his chair.

“Holy _ shit_,” he breathes.

Minchan is similarly frozen in shock, eyes glued to the taller of the two men.

Sejin blinks and shakes himself, almost like he’s waking from a trance. “That’s not…” He trails off uncertainly.

Hyunseok nods mutely, unable to say anything else.

“Oh my god,” Minchan says. “Oh my fucking god.”

The taller man pulls his black face mask down and takes off his baseball cap, ruffling his brown hair, and Lee looks up at him with a huge smile. “What a surprise,” he says, reaching up and yanking the guy down next to him. 

Kim giggles, and the other man, dark-haired, with fabulous bone structure, grins, a dimple appearing in his cheek.

“I found Hyukkie wandering the streets,” he says, and Minchan’s jaw practically falls off his face. “Imagine my surprise when I realized we were heading in the same direction.”

Lee grins. “Thanks, Xing,” he says, throwing an arm around the tall man’s broad shoulders. “If you hadn’t found him, he would have wandered all the way to Daegu.”

“Yah!” The tall man elbows Lee, trying (and failing) to wiggle his way out from under his arm. “Can’t believe you have so little faith in me.” He pouts, and Lee starts laughing.

“So cute,” he coos. “My Hyukkie.”

“Awww,” Kim says, leaning his head onto the dark-haired man’s side. “You two are adorable.”

Hyunseok kicks Sejin under the table. “Bro,” he whispers, “that rumor you mentioned? Do you think it was him?”

Sejin nods, seemingly unable to form words. 

“Are you fucking serious?” Minchan hisses. “Lee’s been dating _ him_?????”

Kim gets up from their table, linking arms with the dark-haired man. “As much fun as this has been,” he says, winking at Lee, “I think I have to get going.”

“No problem,” Lee says, grinning back at him. “I figured Baekhyun was trying to meddle for both of us.”

That makes Kim and the other man laugh.

“Byun?” Hyunseok whispers. “Are they talking about Byun?”

“See you around, Jaehwanie,” Kim’s friend says. “Bye, Hyuk-ah.”

“Bye!” The tall man waves. “And thanks again, Yixing hyung!”

“Any time.” He and Kim smile and wave back before the door tinkles once more and they disappear into the night.

Sejin rips his eyes away from Lee and the tall man, who are now cuddling, and glances at both Minchan and Hyunseok. “Well,” he says, carefully closing his notebook, “I’m clearly not getting any more studying done today.”

~

Junmyeon gets off the phone, having listened to Sunyoung rant for however many minutes it had been, wincing whenever she chose to call him names, and immediately heads into Jongdae’s office. He’s surprisingly not there, but Junmyeon chooses to wait, leaning against his friend’s desk with his arms crossed knowing that he’ll be back soon.

He doesn’t have to wait long, just like he thought, because barely five minutes later Jongdae opens the door, talking to someone over his shoulder.

“-and so then I said to her, ‘This seems like a bad- Oh!” He stops as he locks eyes with Junmyeon.

“Care to explain?” Junmyeon asks, raising an eyebrow.

“Is this a bad time?” Yixing leans around the door and waves sheepishly at him. “I can come back later, Dae, it’s not a problem.”

“No, no, stay,” Jongdae says, wincing a little as Junmyeon glares at him. “This won’t take long.”

“It won’t?” Junmyeon uncrosses his arms and pulls out his phone. “Because Sunyoung talked my ear off for thirty minutes this morning!”

Jongdae grimaces. “Sorry?”

Yixing coughs hastily into his arm.

“What did you do? She wouldn’t tell me anything, just went on a men-are-trash rant and then started yelling about how I don’t get people or something.” Junmyeon glares harder. “So please explain.”

“Um…” Jongdae looks slightly sheepish. “I… mayhaps… might have possibly told her… that… uh… I didn’t, um, like her like that, and, uh, thatIneverwouldbecausewe’rebetteroffasfriends.”

Yixing coughs into his arm again.

“Jesus Christ.” Junmyeon massages his temples. “Why are you such an asshole, Jongdae?”

“I didn’t mean to be,” Jongdae whines. “I figured it would be nicer to let her down easy!”

“That doesn’t mean be extremely blunt,” Junmyeon sighs. “You need a brain-to-mouth filter.”

Jongdae rolls his eyes, running a hand through his messy hair. “Please,” he says, “I’m not Baekhyun, my filter works just fine.”

That makes Junmyeon crack a smile, before he remembers that he’s supposed to be pissed off and forces it off his face. “Still,” he responds, crossing his arms again, “if you’re going to say something like that, just be a little more careful, okay?”

Jongdae blows out a breath. “Fine, fine. I get it.”

“Okay.” Junmyeon pushes himself off Jongdae’s desk and makes to leave when Jongdae calls after him.

“Side note, I’d appreciate it if you stopped springing dates on me!”

He whirls around. “I just want to see you happy and - not alone!”

Jongdae and Yixing both raise their eyebrows at him.

“But fine,” Junmyeon adds, “if you don’t want them then I’ll stop.”

“Thank you,” Jongdae says primly, and then not-very-subtly glances at the door.

Junmyeon doesn’t bother responding, just gives him the finger and leaves.

~

_ get xingdae laid 2k19 _

**[baek] 13:21**

i literally cannot believe

every single date has been a FAILURE

**[taozi] 13:24**

to be fair

you and junmyeon hyung were the ones suggesting people

so im not surprised

**[baek] 13:25**

EXCUSE ME

MR I KNOW SOMEONE WHO KNOWS SOMEONE

WHAT KIND OF CONNECTION IS THAT

**[taozi] 13:27**

at least taewoo and yixing hyung are FRIENDS now!!!!!

none of YOUR dates even worked like that hyung

**[yifan] 13:28**

lol 

**[baek] 13:30**

i hate this

i hate you

**[taozi] 13:31**

no u dont~

**[baek] 13:31**

……… 

**[myeon] 13:34**

Do you guys think I don’t know anything about people?

**[taozi] 13:35**

kinda

random topic change but...

sorry hyung~

**[baek] 13:35**

i mean sort of? not really tho... 

**[yifan] 13:36**

only a little bit, babe

**[taozi] 13:36**

#whipped

**[myeon] 13:37**

...interesting.

Anyways.

**[yifan] 13:37**

wait why

**[myeon] 13:38**

Just something Sunyoung said when she was getting mad at me about her failed date

Like I don't know anything about people or their emotions or whatever

It’s nothing

**[baek] 13:40**

wait nononono

she said that to you??????

thats AWFUL hyung

dont listen to her i bet she was just pissed and you were the closest person to take out her anger on

you know PLENTY about people!!!

you were the one that figured out yifan liked you, you got taozi’s friends together, you’ve done lots!!!

**[yifan] 13:42**

as much as i regret saying this already

baekhyun is right

don’t listen to her, babe

**[myeon] 13:43**

Okay

**[taozi] 13:44**

guess i gotta go fight a bitch for making myeonnie sad

brb 

**[yifan] 13:45**

ZITAO NO

HUANG ZITAO

**[baek] 13:46**

yaaaaaaaaaaaaaas

get her taozi~ 

anyways 

i have one more person in mind for dae!

and i think he knows xing too so if dae doesnt work out we can try him for xing

**[yifan] 13:48**

actually… me too

he’d support this gc he’s friends with them both

**[baek] 13:49**

ooo really?

add him and ill add mine

**[yifan] 13:50**

k 

_ baek added pcyeol to the chat _

_ yifan added pcyeol to the chat _

**[pcyeol] 13:51**

why do i have 2 invites to this chat

**[baek] 13:51**

WHAT

**[yifan] 13:51**

oh lol

that’s funny

**[pcyeol] 13:52**

sup guys~

**[baek] 13:52**

how the FUCK do you know yifan

**[pcyeol] 13:53**

we play on the same pickup team?

**[yifan] 13:53**

basketball 

**[baek] 13:54**

oh god

i hate everything

**[pcyeol] 13:54**

lmao stop being dramatic baek~

side note i enjoy this chat name

**[myeon] 13:55**

Zitao has been restrained

Oh hi Chanyeol~

**[pcyeol] 13:55**

hi junmyeon!!!

why are you restraining zitao

**[baek] 13:56**

he went to go fight sunyoung for making junnie sad

**[myeon] 13:56**

Don’t call me Junnie

But yes, that’s correct

**[pcyeol] 13:57**

damn

**[myeon] 13:57**

Chanyeol do you want to help us?

With Yixing and Jongdae?

**[pcyeol] 13:58**

lmao YES OFC

**[baek] 13:58**

but……… i wanted to set him up with dae

**[yifan] 13:59**

and i wanted to set him up with xing

**[pcyeol] 14:00**

thanks for the offers lol

but i kinda have my eye on someone rn

and were going on our third date next weekend

sorry

**[baek] 14:01**

W H A T

PARK CHANYEOL

WHY DONT YOU TELL ME THINGS

**[pcyeol] 14:02**

its really new okay!!!!!

i didnt want to say anything in case i fucked up

**[yifan] 14:03**

aw thats kinda cute

**[myeon] 14:03**

Reminds me of you Yifan~

**[baek] 14:04**

you know…… i kinda see it

**[pcyeol] 14:04**

but im cooler than him!!!

**[baek] 14:05**

… sure

**[pcyeol] 14:05**

HEY

**[myeon] 14:06**

How about, instead of insulting our friends, we figure out what else to do about Yixing and Jongdae?

**[yifan] 14:06**

what he said

**[taozi] 14:06**

again

#whipped

aka more proof i won that bet~

**[yifan] 14:07**

again 

you sure?

**[baek] 14:08**

HOW ABOUT LETS NOT TALK ABOUT THAT EVER AGAIN

and back to xingdae!!!

i guess we can talk to them tomorrow or something?

**[myeon] 14:09**

Sounds good

See if we can figure out why they keep shutting everyone down

**[baek] 14:11**

perfect

~

The new silver band on his ring finger is a weight he’ll have to get used to, Jongdae thinks, stretching his arms over his head and wincing as his back pops. He stands from his desk and reaches for his phone, smiling as his ring catches a beam of sunlight streaming in from his window. The silver glitters, and he smooths his thumb over its surface, smiling softly.

“Yah, Kim Jongdae, are you coming or what?” Baekhyun sticks his head inside his office, making him jump.

“You’re so loud, you know that?” Jongdae cuffs his friend on the back of the head as he walks out of his office, Tupperware full of leftover stir-fry in his hand. 

Baekhyun has to jog a couple of steps to catch up to him. “You were standing there spacing out, how else was I going to get your attention?”

“By just saying hi, like a normal human?” Jongdae rolls his eyes.

They spend the rest of the walk to the faculty lounge chatting about their students, Baekhyun recounting a tale of catching one of his students lurking around his office, and when they finally make it to the lounge Jongdae gets a weird rush of deja vu.

Yixing is sitting at their usual table, Yifan and Zitao across from him, and Baekhyun yells hello before sliding into the last open seat, leaving him with (yet again) no other option.

“Hi,” he says, sliding into Yixing’s lap.

“Hi, yourself,” Yixing responds, letting his thumb swipe over Jongdae’s ring before he continues to eat. “When are you just going to pull up another chair instead of sitting on me?”

“And exert physical effort? Never,” Jongdae responds, winking at him. 

Yixing’s cheeks tinge pink.

“Besides,” Jongdae adds, wiggling slightly so he’s settled more comfortably, “you’re easier to sit on than a chair.”

“Chairs are literally _ made _ for sitting, Dae,” Yixing replies, digging his fingers into Jongdae’s side in retaliation.

“Yeah, but they’re not comfy like you are.” Jongdae bats his eyes at him, which only makes him laugh.

“Are you saying my thighs are softer than the chairs?”

“Duh.” Jongdae rolls his eyes and makes to take a bite of his lunch when Yixing flexes his quads. The sudden appearance of rippling muscle beneath his legs makes him choke, especially since he knows what those thighs are capable of.

“Jongdae?” Zitao looks up at him from across the table. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Jongdae gets out. “I’m fine.” He hurriedly waves a hand at Yifan, who looks ready to get up and give him the Heimlich or something. “Just swallowed funny, no need to worry.”

“That’s what she said,” Baekhyun mumbles, and Yixing reaches over and whacks him.

“Why are you disgusting,” Yifan complains, staring forlornly at his food. “Can we never have a normal lunch?”

“Not with him around,” Zitao says, pointing at Baekhyun. “Or them, for that matter.” He jerks his head towards Jongdae and Yixing.

“What’s wrong with us?” Jongdae pouts.

Zitao shrugs. “The two of you are always, like, off in your own little world or something.”

Yixing smirks at him. “Sorry none of you are interesting enough to keep our attention.”

“Hey!” Baekhyun gasps, holding a hand to his chest and pretending to swoon. “The offense! It’s too much!”

“Shut up, you drama queen,” Jongdae says, throwing a napkin at him, which makes Yixing start to laugh.

The rest of their break passes by quickly, and before Jongdae realizes it Yifan is hurrying off to class, and Baekhyun is dragging Zitao out of the lounge, muttering something about finding more people, and then they’re alone.

“Xing,” he says, worriedly twirling his ring, “do you think we should tell them?”

Yixing looks sideways at him as he dries his chopsticks off. “Do you _ want _ to tell them?”

Jongdae shrugs. “I don’t know,” he says. “If we told them, then maybe they’d stop setting us both up on blind dates.”

“True,” Yixing replies, putting his dish down next to the sink and wrapping his arms around Jongdae’s waist. “But it was pretty funny, don’t you think?”

Jongdae huffs a laugh. “Yeah, it was.” He turns so he’s facing Yixing. “But… I guess, I just want to tell everyone that you’re mine, and I’m yours, and we’re both happy. And clearly not alone.”

Yixing presses a swift kiss to his lips. “You may be right, Daedae,” he says, smiling gently. “But maybe let’s wait on the engagement announcement?”

“Oh, of course.” Jongdae smirks as he interlaces his fingers with Yixing’s. “We’re holding off on that for a while, just so I can find the perfect moment to tell Baekhyun and get his shocked reaction on camera.”

“You are devious.” Yixing rubs his thumb over Jongdae’s ring once more, and Jongdae can feel the matching silver ring on Yixing's hand resting against his fingers. “That’s one of the many reasons I love you.”

**Author's Note:**

> WHEW its done!!!  
thank you again to the prompter, i hope this lived up to your expectations!!!  
thank you to mods m and e for running such a great fest~  
and i hope all of you enjoyed reading this hot mess of a fic ^^  
♥
> 
> [tumblr](https://yixingminseokjongdae.tumblr.com) | [twitter](https://twitter.com/allforexot9) | [cc](https://curiouscat.me/moon_goddess)


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